Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III is a new RTS with MOBA elements, released by Relic Entertainment and Sega in partnership with Games Workshop, the creators of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is the third instalment in the Dawn of War series, and the first new release in the series since Dawn of War II: Retribution in 2011. It was released for Microsoft Windows on April 27, 2017.3 On May 26, 2017, Feral Interactive announced that the Linux version would use both OpenGL and Vulkan graphics API's, and the Mac OS X port would use use Apple's Metal (API).4 The game received mixed reviews, and downloadable content for the game was scrapped following lackluster sales. Campaign Missions # The Defense of Varlock Keep (Marine) # Destined for Greater Fings (Ork) # Beware False Profits (Eldar) # In Defense of Loyalty (Marine) # The Social Climber (Ork) # A Dangerous Proposal (Eldar) # The Dark Arrival (Ork) # None Left Behind (Marine) # The Seer, The Trickster, And The Brute (Eldar) # Cunning and Wiles (Ork) # The Bloody Gambit (Eldar) # Chasing Beauty (Marine) # Waking Giants (Eldar) # In the Company of Friends (Marine) # A Clash of Leviathans (Ork) # The Storm Prince (All) # The Wayfarers (All) Plot A "catastrophic weapon," known as the Spear of Khaine, is discovered on the lost planet Acheron, and three forces converge on the planet – the Blood Ravens Space Marines under legendary commander Gabriel Angelos, the Eldar led by Farseer Macha (returning from the first game), and an Ork horde led by Warboss Gorgutz (his fourth appearance, after Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm).4 The campaign begins on the Imperial Knight world of Cyprus Ultima, which is under siege from a massive Ork horde led by Warboss Gitstompa. For reasons unknown, the Imperial Inquisitor Holt has ordered the Imperial Navy to blockade the planet and denies Lady Solaria's Imperial Knight House Varlock any reinforcements planetside. The Blood Ravens under Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos run the blockade to help Lady Solaria, but not before Varlock Keep is looted by Gitstompa's lieutenant (at the time) Gorgutz. Gitstompa uses the looted parts to build an enormous cannon capable of defeating the Eldar. Autarch Kyre, the leader of the Biel-Tan warhost on Cyprus Ultima, summons Farseer Macha to aid him against the Orks on Cyprus Ultima. Kyre is using Cyprus Ultima as a staging ground to travel to the planet Acheron when it emerges from the alternate dimension of the Warp. Kyre is obsessed with the Spear of Khaine, said to be able to kill enemies with a single blow. He seized the Spirit Stone of Farseer Taldeer (Dark Crusade) from her twin brother, the Eldar Ranger Ronahn, when he was trying to transport it to her Craftworld of Ulthwe. While in his custody, Taldeer unwittingly told Kyre of the prophecy surrounding the Spear of Khaine. In a trance, she prophecised that the Spear of Khaine would call forth the Wayfarers and would be united by the Storm Prince, Convinced that he is the Storm Prince destined to unite the fractured and nomadic Eldar, the power-hungry Autarch keeps her prisoner as a way to swell his own ranks of his Swordwind army. Farseer Macha, however, does not trust Kyre at all, and secretly begins to build an insurgency with the aid of Ronahn and the Howling Banshee Phoenix Lord Jain Zar. One detachment of Eldar forces assault the Imperial Starfort Helios where Blood Ravens Librarian Jonah Orion is studying an Eldar artifact, but Gabriel Angelos and his Space Marines arrive in time to rescue the Librarian, although at the cost of critically damaging the Starfort. The Inquisitor is enraged at the damage done and Gabriel orders Chaplain Diomedes (returning from Dawn of War II: Retribution) to stay with his detachment on Helios to defend it and oversee repairs. Back on Cyprus Ultima, Gitstompa's cannon is sabotaged by Gorgutz, and it explodes just as he is about to engage Macha's forces, who overrun him. With Gitstompa defeated, Gorgutz quickly subjugates Gitstompa's other subordinates, which include the Ork Weirdboy psyker Zapnoggin and the Big Mek Wazmakka. Gorgutz forms a new warband with them and begins preparations to travel to Acheron, which he heard about after battling the Eldar in the Kaurava system. Gorgutz wants the "SUPER pointy stikk" all for himself. Farseer Macha and her forces prepare to assault the Blood Ravens on Cyprus Ultima and nearly kill both Librarian Orion and Gabriel Angelos when a meteor shower interrupts the battle, heralding the arrival of the planet Acheron. Gorgutz seizes the opportunity to crash his Kill Kroozer spaceship into another Starfort and overwhelms the defending Blood Ravens before landing on Acheron. Helios crashes on Acheron's surface when it emerges from the Warp. Gabriel Angelos and a squad of Terminators rescue Chaplain Diomedes from the Eldar and Orks attacking him in the wreckage of Helios. Farseer Macha and Ronahn manage to have an audience with Gorgutz (after killing quite a bit of his Orks) and convince him to fight Kyre in an effort to derail Kyre from getting to the true surface of Acheron where the Spear is kept. Ronahn leads Gorgutz straight to Kyre's outposts and Gorgutz kills the Wraithlord Valador, another lieutenant of Kyre. While Kyre is preoccupied fighting Gorgutz's forces, Macha, Jain Zar, and a handful of Striking Scorpions raid Kyre's main base where the Spirit Stone of Farseer Taldeer is kept. Macha's strike group barely escapes with the aid of sympathizers within Kyre's ranks as well as a surprise attack from a detachment of Gorgutz's Orks. Meanwhile, Gabriel Angelos has tracked Gorgutz's warband all the way to the Vault, one of the many passageways to Acheron's true surface. He destroys Wazmakka's cannon that was brought there to break open the vault. The Inquisitor orders the bombardment of the Vault despite Angelos being in the immediate vicinity of it, in an attempt to destroy it and cut off any access to the Spear. Enraged, Librarian Orion and Chaplain Diomedes swears vengeance on the Inquisitor for (seemingly) killing the Chapter Master. The Imperial orbital bombardment does not have the intended effect of sealing the Vault, but rather, breaks it open. Kyre sees the destruction of The Vault as an opportunity to lead his forces down to the true surface of Acheron. Macha and Ronahn make an unsettling discovery on Acheron - they come across an enormous Greater Daemon of Khorne - a Bloodthirster, trapped in the ice, but attempting to awaken. The Bloodthirster was sealed there by the ancient Eldar eons ago. Kyre also discovers the Daemon but thinks the Spear of Khaine should be used to kill the daemon. Taldeer, Ronahn, and Macha aren't so sure, and think the Spear is nothing more than a trap. When they attempt to flee via the Colossus Gates, Kyre locks down their escape routes, and Taldeer orders Ronahn to place her in a Wraithknight and to pilot her new mechanical body to help break down the locks for the Colossus Gate. Knowing that only twins, one dead and one living can pilot a Wraithknight, Ronahn reluctantly complies despite his objections to risking her life again. They flee to another section of Acheron away from Kyre's forces. Gabriel Angelos and his Blood Ravens, along with Lady Solaria and her Imperial Knight walker, arrive at the Temple of the Spear of Khaine and overrun Kyre's forces as well as a portion of Gorgutz's forces, but Gorgutz exacts his revenge with the help of Big Mek Wazmakka's Beauty the Morkanaut. With Taldeer explaining that the prophecy was unclear and her vision partially obscured, both Macha and Taldeer meditate and try to clearly decipher the contents of the prophecy. Meanwhile, both Kyre and Gorgutz arrive at the altar of the Spear and Kyre quickly bests the Ork Warboss. Kyre takes the Spear for himself and attempts to kill Gorgutz with it. Unfortunately for Kyre, it is revealed the prophecy regarding the Spear was a trap to free the Daemon. The "Spear's" main blade shatters without harming Gorgutz, and Kyre is consumed in a blood sacrifice that releases the Bloodthirster from the ice. The Bloodthirster is empowered by the countless lives taken on and around the planet - lives slain all in pursuit of the "Spear." All three factions - Eldar, Space Marines, and Orks are stuck battling Warp Spawn generated by the Daemon using echoes of the warriors slain on the planet. Farseer Macha tasks Gorgutz with destroying the Chaos Spires that are powering the Daemon and generating the Warp Spawn. Meanwhile, Macha urges Gabriel Angelos to sacrifice his Battle Barge Dauntless to cripple the Daemon by ramming it into a fissure on the planet's surface; sacrificing the lives onboard but preventing the Daemon from wreaking havoc on the galaxy. Knowing the Daemon was shielding Acheron, Angelos reluctantly complies and permits Captain Balthazar to crash the Dauntless directly into one of Acheron's tectonic faultlines; disintegrating the planet. With Acheron destroyed, the Daemon diminishes in size and power. With the urging of Macha, who believe the prophecy predicted all three factions (all of whom are nomadic "wayfarers") must work together to defeat the Daemon, now revealed to be the Storm Prince, the three heroes team up to defeat the Daemon after battling through hordes of Warp Spawn on the fragment of the planet housing the Temple of the Spear. All three heroes cautiously part ways after defeating the Daemon, but Gorgutz runs back and grabs the Spear for himself as a trophy. In an after credits scene, a Necron Overlord has taken notice of the events on Acheron and prepares his armies. Gameplay and Features Dawn of War III takes portions of both Dawn of War I and II in terms of gameplay. The following is a direct comparison of the general gameplay elements. * Full base-building and resource management is back, and almost to the same level of complexity as DOW I. All races now have a single tech research building instead of research being spread out among several buildings, and a slightly less complicated building set overall. * Infantry squads are not able to reinforce their members anywhere they want as in DOW I. More akin to DOW II, squads must be within range of a reinforcement point (all standard unit production buildings) before the option is available. The Eldar and Orks gain upgrades to mobile units allowing them to act as reinforcement points (and the Eldar also have the ability to make their Webway Gates reinforcement points) whereas the Space Marines can, via Doctrine, make their Listening Posts be reinforcement points. * Reinforcement of multiple squads (while they are in the area of effect of a Reinforcement Point) has been simplified. While in DOW I when you had multiple squads selected you still needed to click through each one to select Reinforce. In DOW III there is a reserved spot (top right) in the command button interface at the lower left of the screen. Whenever you have multiple squads selected, if any of them have lost members a greyed-out Reinforce button will show up on the interface. If one or more of those squads with lost members gets within range of a Reinforcement Point the button becomes active blue and clicking on it will start reinforcing EVERY relevant squad simultaneously (resources permitting). * Power generators are no longer built at will wherever you want within your base. Points of Contention are back but now contain between 0 and 4 resource nodes (and some ultra-rare ones being seen with up to 6) of either a Requisition or Power type, which will need the corresponding generator built on them (for a small amount of the opposite resource) in order to start collecting that resource. You will find, in general, that you are heavily energy-starved during missions compared to before except for multiplayer maps with the High Resources option set. * A third resource is available: Elite Points. Gained over time through combat or VERY rare resource nodes on Points of Contention, they are used to summon Elite units (the new name for Hero units). Elite (i.e. Hero) units have been beefed up in strength, more on par with those in DOW II * Instead of the smaller separate Infantry and Vehicle support caps, there is one universal support cap and no unit type cap (such as the 2 heavy tank limit in DOW I Dark Crusade and Soulstorm) for all units which in many cases allows for much larger armies to be fielded, provided you can collect enough resources to build them. * There are 3 damage types: Normal, Armor-Piercing and True, and two armor types: Normal and Heavy. Normal damage has an excellent effect against Normal armor but is heavily reduced against Heavy armor. Armor-Piercing damage does extra damage against Heavy armor and Normal-armored Buildings, but (in most cases) is less effective against Normal armored Infantry (there are a few exceptions). True damage does its full shown damage against both types but does not do bonus damage to either. * Wargears have been replaced by Doctrines, permanent passive or active ability boosts doing everything from boosting the health of a specific unit or building to giving new active or passive abilities to a unit. At the start of every battle, be they Campaign or multiplayer, the player chooses 3 Doctrines to have active in the fight and every Elite unit also has one of two possible Doctrines that will take effect for as long as they are actively summoned on the map (and that doctrine effect disappears if they are killed). * Elite units gain experience and levels when used in both the Campaign and multiplayer battles, like in DOW II. This grants small boosts to their main stats, unlocks their second while-summoned Doctrine, unlocks their passive abilities to be full Doctrines for selection as one of the main 3 before a mission and unlocks multiple different appearance skins for that unit. Up to 3 elite units can be chosen for any map (some of which are pre-chosen in the Campaign missions), which therefore effectively allows for up to 6 Doctrines to be active at any one time once you have all 3 summoned. NOTE: Elite units only gain experience if they ACTIVELY FIGHT. If you keep them in your base and let your normal units do all the fighting to victory, the experience gain of your Elites at the end of a mission/multiplayer map will be utterly pitiful. Also, wounded Elites don't heal quickly unless they are close range to a primary base structure by default, though the races can get some upgrades to extend this option. KEY NOTE: The Elites screens for the three races are scroll screens. In the screens from the main menu where all the Elites are shown there is a 10th hidden Elite for each race below the initial 9 that you see. * By default the three races CANNOT build stationary defense turrets, however there is a Doctrine that allows it (which is disabled during the entire Campaign, so this is only possible on multiplayer maps). Note also that these Turrets do consume 5 Squad Cap each, so you won't be able to make a wall of turrets and have a massive army simultaneously. * Garrisoning inside various buildings to provide fire has been simplified to a set of defensive shield barriers scattered around the map. They are captured like a Point of Control (units have to stay inside it for several seconds), and once the shield is activated all ranged fire is absorbed by the shield. Many melee Elites and units can walk clean through the shield to attack the ranged fighters inside, so be aware of melee rushes. Also, some special abilities are able to get through the shields like Piercing Shots from units like Ronahn, or from "slow" munitions like various lobbed grenades. In the singleplayer campaign, unlike previous games where each race had its own campaign/story, you play as all three factions in one campaign, completing a single mission first as Space Marines, then Orks followed by Eldar. In addition, the Space Marines possess a wider variety of vehicles and units that the player could field for a proper defense, or a large offensive, while the Eldar are suited with shields that protect them from damage until it falls (the energy shields could recharge when any Eldar unit is not in combat) and are able to relocate their buildings from enemy reach with more advanced teleporting technology, while the Orks possess Scrap, a common material used to upgrade Ork units (for example, if a squad of Ork Boyz start looting Scrap, they could convert into 'Ardboyz). Scrap could be found in wrecked vehicles, destroyed buildings or could be called down in WAAAGH! Towers. Gretchin Squads can also use Scrap to build vehicles regardless of their size or also more WAAAGH! Towers, which makes the Orks more unique than the Space Marines and the Eldar, at the cost of using numbers in battle, but is compensated with more effectiveness. The initial races available for play will be the Space Marines of the Blood Ravens (who have appeared in the other Dawn of War games), the Eldar, and the Orks. In addition to returning to the traditional RTS basebuilding (as seen in the first game and its expansions), Dawn of War III also includes larger-scale walker units - Imperial Knights for the Space Marines, Wraithknights for Eldar, and Gorkanauts for Orks. *The game features a 17-mission campaign, cycling through all the factions in order (Space Marine, Ork, and Eldar and then back again). *Take control of towering war machines and tip the balance of battle with the biggest characters in Dawn of War history. Turn the tide with the mighty Imperial Knight (Space Marine), the clattering Gorkanaut (Ork), or the haunting Wraithknight (Eldar). *Wage war with massive armies across violent volcanic terrain or onboard battlecruisers traveling fast through space. *Take battle plans to another level by deploying powerful collectible elite squads, each boasting their own special abilities and bonuses that will help unlock and develop new attacking strategies to conquer foes. *Cause devastation on the battlefield with powerful super-abilities. Rain down destruction on enemies with the Space Marine's Orbital Bombardment, the Eldar's blistering Eldritch Storm, or the Ork’s Rokks to counter unsuspecting rivals. *Players build their own universal army from the very first moment they are matched in a melee. Progress through battle after battle with loyal troops by across both challenging campaign missions and dominating multiplayer maps. *Players may engage in online co-operative mode. ;Mastery skins Each Elite hero will unlock a mastery skin as it gains experience, and levels up between missions and matches. From Kill Team Ironmaw to Phoenix Lord Jain Zar, these cosmetic changes show enemies and allies the results of the time a player's heroes have logged in battle. Additionally, the Masters of War Skin Pack is available for free as part of all Dawn of War III pre-orders. This comes with skins for each faction’s Super Walker Elites – the Dark Queen skin for Lady Solaria, the Ghost Seer skin for Farseer Taldeer, and the Big Kustom skin for Beauty. Development According to the August 2010 statement by Bilson, Dawn of War III would have been expected 18–24 months after Dawn of War II: Retribution. This would have meant late 2012 to early 2013. However, THQ started having financial problems since, which led to layoffs at RelicTHQ Announces Layoffs at Vigil followed by the announcement of Company of Heroes 2 for 2013. Bilson later commented that the studio had to focus all resources on Company of Heroes 2 and that they are "doing some rethinking" regarding Dawn of War III.Danny Bilson in One of his Last Interviews as THQ Core Games Boss In December 2012, THQ filed for bankruptcy, and in January 2013 it was announced that Relic was being sold to Sega. It was not known if the development of Dawn of War III would continue under Sega. In July 2015, Sega of America registered a website to the name Dawn of War III. Reception Dawn of War III has earned a score of 77/100 on Metacritic based on "generally favorable" 76 critic reviews.Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III on Metacritic In whatoplay.com, it holds an aggregate score of 6.25 based on 46 critics and 8,666 gamers.Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III on whatoplay.com, Retrieved on Feb 4, 2020 Purchasing Pre-Order Players can pre-order Dawn of War III up until April 27, 2017 from select traditional retailers, online through the [https://www.dawnofwar.com/ Dawn of War website], or on Steam. The basic edition costs US $59.99 / £54.99 / €59.99. ;Via Dawn of War site *Digital copy of Dawn of War III *Masters of War skin pack: Dark Queen Solaria, Ghost Seer Taldeer, and Big Kustom Morkanaut. ;Via Steam *Digital copy of Dawn of War III *Masters of War skin pack: Dark Queen Solaria, Ghost Seer Taldeer, and Big Kustom Morkanaut *Company of Heroes 2 Vehicle Skin Sets: Soviets - Blood Raven, Wehrmacht Ostheer - Bad Moons, Oberkommando West - Banshee, US Forces - Librarian, and British Forces - Biel Tan. Limited Edition The Limited Edition of Dawn of War III costs US $64.99 / £59.99 / €64.99 and includes the following: *Premium Disc Book *Official game soundtrack with 18 epic tracks composed by Paul-Leonard Morgan *Lenticular Art Card which rotates between the 3 race masks (5.7” x 6.7”) *“Master of War” bonus digital content pack with exclusive skins: Solaria’s “Dark Queen”, Taldeer’s “Ghost Seer”, and the Morkanauts “Big Kustom” sets. Collector's Edition The Collector's Edition costs US $129.99 / £99.99 / €119.99 and includes the following: *All content from the Limited Edition above *Gabriel Angelos’s iconic “Godsplitter Daemon Hammer” replica (14.2” x 4.2”) *3 cloth faction banners mounted on wooden poles with custom artwork and slogans (25” x 15.2”) System requirements ;Minimum *64-bit Windows 7 *3GHz i3 or equivalent *4GB RAM *1GB nVidia GeForce 460 or AMD 6950 or equivalent DirectX 11 video card ;Recommended *64-bit Windows 10 *3GHz i5 or equivalent *8GB RAM *2GB nVidia GeForce 770 or AMD 7970 or equivalent DirectX 11 video card Images ;Screenshots DOW3 - Screenshot - Gabriel.jpg|Gabriel Angelos DOW3 - Screenshot - Solaria.jpg|Solaria DOW3 - Screenshot.jpg DOW3 - Screenshot2.jpg ;Art Art - Colossal Clashes - DOW3.jpg|Colossal clashes Art - DOW3.jpg Art - DOW3 - 2.jpg Art - DOW3 - 3.jpg Art - DOW3 - 4.jpg Art - DOW3 - 5.jpg Art - DOW3 - 6.jpg Art - DOW3 - 7.jpg Art - DOW3 - 8.jpg Art - Eldar - DOW3.jpg|Eldar Art - Ork - DOW3.jpg|Ork Art - Space Marine - DOW3.jpg|Space Marines Art - Unleash Titans - DOW3.jpg|Unleash titans Videos Dawn of War III – Announcement Trailer Dawn of War III First Gameplay Footage Dawn of War III - Narrated E3 Mission Playthrough Dawn of War 3 - Community Q&A Episode 1 Dawn of War 3 - Community Q&A Episode 1 Dawn of War III - Prophecy of War References External links *Official site Category:Games Category:Video Games Category:Dawn of War III